The list we provide here is by no means complete and adequate to the official one. First of all, it includes only those species we have encountered and photographed. In addition, the list depicts our opinion about invasiveness of certain species. Our own additions to the official list are shown against the yellow background; potential subtractions are marked pale green.
The existing information on distribution of each species across Massachusetts counties is presented after Sorrie and Somers, 1999 (the lower line); our own records are in the upper line. At this time, our records are apparently rather fragmented, as we have never had a goal of recording every occurrence of each invasive species. However, these are either confirmations or new additions to the existing data. Along with links to Salicicola photo gallery, we provide links to the USDA Plants Database, Invasive Plant Atlas of New England (IPANE), and other relevant sources for each species.
| Gymnospermae | ||||||||||||||||
| Pinaceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Picea abies — Norway spruce | FR | MI | SU | NO | PL | |||||||||||
| [USDA] [Salicicola gallery] | BE | HD | WO | MI | ES | SU | NO | BA | DU | |||||||
| Note: From our experience, European spruce has a tendency to displace natural vegetation. It is considered invasive in Canada. It shows invasive behavior in national parks of North Carolina, Tennessee, Maryland, and Hawaii (WeedUS). | ||||||||||||||||
| Monocotyledonae | ||||||||||||||||
| Hydrocharitaceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Iridaceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Iris pseudacorus — yellow iris | MI | SU | NO | |||||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | BE | FR | HS | HD | WO | MI | ES | SU | NO | BR | DU | NA | ||||
| Najadaceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Poaceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Phalaris arundinacea — reed canarygrass | NO | PL | ||||||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | BE | FR | HS | HD | WO | MI | ES | SU | NO | BR | PL | BA | ||||
| Phragmites australis — common reed | MI | SU | PL | |||||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | BE | FR | HS | HD | WO | MI | ES | SU | NO | BR | PL | BA | DU | NA | ||
| Potamogetonaceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Dicotyledonae | ||||||||||||||||
| Aceraceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Acer platanoides — Norway maple | MI | SU | NO | PL | BA | |||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | BE | FR | HS | HD | WO | MI | ES | SU | NO | BR | PL | BA | DU | NA | ||
| Acer pseudoplatanus — sycamore maple | ES | NO | ||||||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | HD | WO | MI | ES | NO | BR | PL | BA | DU | NA | ||||||
| Apiaceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Aegopodium podagraria — goutweed | SU | NO | ||||||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | BE | FR | HS | HD | WO | MI | ES | NO | PL | BA | NA | |||||
| Anthriscus sylvestris — chervil | NO | |||||||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | BE | SU | NO | BA | ||||||||||||
| Apocynaceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Vinca minor — periwinkle | MI | ES | SU | PL | ||||||||||||
| [USDA] [Salicicola gallery] | BE | FR | HS | HD | WO | MI | ES | NO | BR | PL | BA | NA | ||||
| Note: A favorite ground cover of generations of gardeners, this plant is not as harmless as it seems to be. It is capable of taking over large forested areas. In some states it is already listed as invasive. | ||||||||||||||||
| Araliaceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Kalopanax septemlobus (K. pictus) — castor aralia | SU | NO | ||||||||||||||
| [USDA] [Salicicola gallery] | ||||||||||||||||
| Note: This East Asian tree is not yet listed even naturalized in Massachusetts, however, it can easily spread from cultivation, produce seedlings under forest canopy, and form groves. We believe it has to be listed. | ||||||||||||||||
| Asclepiadaceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Cynanchum nigrum (C. louiseae) — black swallow-wort | SU | NO | ||||||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | BE | FR | HS | HD | WO | MI | ES | SU | NO | BR | PL | BA | ||||
| Asteraceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Centaurea maculosa (C. biebersteinii) — spotted or bushy knapweed | SU | PL | BA | |||||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | BE | FR | HS | HD | WO | MI | SU | NO | BR | PL | BA | DU | NA | |||
| Hieracium pratense (H. caespitosum) — king-devil | NO | |||||||||||||||
| [USDA] [Salicicola gallery] | BE | FR | HS | HD | WO | MI | ES | SU | NO | BR | BA | |||||
| Note: We believe meadow hawkweed has been overlooked and is to be listed (see WeedUS). | ||||||||||||||||
| Tussilago farfara — coltsfoot | MI | NO | ||||||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | BE | FR | HS | HD | WO | MI | ES | SU | NO | BR | PL | BA | NA | |||
| Note:So far we never witnessed any significant infestation. It appears to be rare, occurring in small clumps. | ||||||||||||||||
| Berberidaceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Berberis thunbergii — Japanese barberry | ES | NO | ||||||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | BE | FR | HS | HD | WO | MI | ES | SU | NO | BR | PL | BA | DU | NA | ||
| Berberis vulgaris — common barberry | MI | ES | NO | |||||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | BE | FR | HS | HD | WO | MI | ES | SU | NO | BR | PL | BA | DU | NA | ||
| Boraginaceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Brassicaceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Alliaria petiolata (officinalis) — garlic mustard | MI | SU | NO | |||||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | BE | FR | HS | HD | WO | MI | ES | NO | BR | PL | BA | |||||
| Cardamine impatiens — narrowleaf bittercress | SU | |||||||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | BE | |||||||||||||||
| Hesperis matronalis — dame's rocket | SU | NO | ||||||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | BE | FR | HS | HD | WO | MI | ES | SU | NO | BR | PL | BA | DU | NA | ||
| Lepidium latifolium — broad-leaved peppergrass | NO | PL | ||||||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | ES | SU | PL | |||||||||||||
| Buddlejaceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Buddleja davidii — yellow-eyed butterfly-bush | NO | |||||||||||||||
| [USDA] [Salicicola gallery] | NA | |||||||||||||||
| Note: This attractive shrub from East Asia is a well-known invader in Western Europe. It has been considered a harmless ornamental in US; however, it has recently exploded in Washington. So far we never saw it wild in Massachusetts, though it needs to be watched closely. Because of this reputation, butterfly-bush should not be promoted as an ornamental, except for sterile cultivars. | ||||||||||||||||
| Cabombaceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Cabomba caroliniana — Carolina fanwort | BR | PL | ||||||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | BE | FR | HS | HD | WO | MI | ES | SU | NO | BR | PL | |||||
| Campanulaceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Jasione montana — sheep's bit | NO | BR | PL | |||||||||||||
| [USDA] [Salicicola gallery] | HD | MI | ES | NO | BR | PL | BA | NA | ||||||||
| Note: This European annual is rapidly spreading along highways and in other open disturbed habitats, especially in southeastern Massachusetts. It is not yet listed as invasive, though definitely deserves consideration. See more at Salicicola. | ||||||||||||||||
| Cannabaceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Caprifoliaceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Lonicera japonica — Japanese honeysuckle | NO | BA | ||||||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | HS | HD | MI | BR | PL | BA | DU | NA | ||||||||
| Lonicera morrowii — Morrow's honeysuckle | NO | PL | BA | |||||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | BE | FR | HS | HD | WO | MI | ES | NO | BR | PL | BA | DU | NA | |||
| Celastraceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Celastrus orbiculata — Oriental bittersweet | MI | ES | SU | NO | ||||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | BE | FR | HS | HD | WO | MI | ES | SU | NO | BR | PL | BA | DU | NA | ||
| Euonymus alata — winged spindletree | MI | ES | SU | NO | PL | |||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | BE | HS | HD | WO | MI | PL | BA | |||||||||
| Elaeagnaceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Elaeagnus umbellata — autumn-olive | NO | PL | BA | |||||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | BE | FR | HS | HD | WO | BR | PL | BA | DU | NA | ||||||
| Euphorbiaceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Euphorbia cyparissias — cypress spurge | MI | NO | ||||||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | BE | FR | HS | HD | WO | MI | ES | SU | NO | BR | PL | BA | DU | NA | ||
| Fabaceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Lespedeza thunbergii ssp. formosa — tall bushclover | PL | |||||||||||||||
| [USDA] [Salicicola gallery] | PL | BA | ||||||||||||||
| Note: Tall bushclover has demonstrated its high potential to become a problematic weed in southeastern Massachusetts. So far it has become widespread in Myles Standish State Forest, to which it was once introduced as game forage plant. | ||||||||||||||||
| Pueraria montana var. lobata — kudzu | NO | PL | ||||||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | BR | PL | BA | |||||||||||||
| Robinia pseudoacacia — black locust | ES | SU | NO | PL | BA | |||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | BE | FR | HS | HD | WO | MI | ES | SU | NO | BR | PL | BA | DU | NA | ||
| Note: We believe that the expansion of black locust in Eastern North America beyond its original range could as well occur naturally. As a species native to Eastern North America, black locust should not be counted invasive in Massachusetts. | ||||||||||||||||
| Haloragaceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Myriophyllum heterophyllum — variable watermilfoil | MI | |||||||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | BE | HD | WO | MI | ES | NO | BR | PL | ||||||||
| Lardizabalaceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Akebia quinata — chocolate vine | NO | |||||||||||||||
| [USDA] [Salicicola gallery] | BA | DU | ||||||||||||||
| Note: This ornamental vine is not considered invasive in Massachusetts. However, it's aggressiveness can be compared only with that of kudzu vine. See report at salicicola. | ||||||||||||||||
| Lythraceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Lythrum salicaria — purple loosestrife | SU | NO | ||||||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | BE | FR | HS | HD | WO | MI | ES | SU | NO | BR | PL | BA | DU | NA | ||
| Menyanthaceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Oleaceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Ligustrum obtusifolium — Japanese privet | WO | SU | NO | PL | ||||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | BE | FR | HS | HD | WO | MI | ES | NO | PL | BA | ||||||
| Onagraceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Papaveraceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Polygonaceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Polygonum cuspidatum — Japanese knotweed | MI | ES | SU | NO | ||||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | BE | FR | HS | HD | WO | MI | ES | SU | NO | PL | BA | DU | NA | |||
| Polygonum perfoliatum — mile-a-minute | NO | |||||||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | ||||||||||||||||
| Note: One of the worst invaders, it was treated as only potentially invasive in 2005. It was first recorded in MA in 2006 -- on the Cape: Falmouth, Barnstable Co. (see http://www.massnrc.org/pests/linkeddocuments/pestalert/MileAMinute%20Giant%20Hogweed_2007.htm) and in the Blue Hills Reservation (Kadis 2007). Since then it increased its area dramatically. | ||||||||||||||||
| Primulaceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Lysimachia nummularia — creeping jenny | NO | PL | ||||||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | BE | FR | HS | HD | WO | MI | ES | SU | NO | BR | PL | BA | NA | |||
| Note: So far we could not confirm that this species is really invasive in Massachusetts. We observed it a few times as small insignificant clumps. | ||||||||||||||||
| Ranunculaceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Ranunculus ficaria (Ficaria verna) — lesser celandine | SU | |||||||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | WO | MI | ES | NO | BR | PL | ||||||||||
| Ranunculus repens — creeping buttercup | MI | NO | ||||||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | BE | FR | HS | HD | WO | MI | ES | SU | NO | BR | PL | BA | DU | NA | ||
| Rhamnaceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Rhamnus cathartica — common buckthorn | MI | NO | PL | |||||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | BE | FR | HS | HD | WO | MI | ES | SU | NO | BR | PL | BA | DU | |||
| Rhamnus frangula (Frangula alnus) — glossy buckthorn | SU | NO | PL | |||||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | BE | FR | HS | HD | WO | MI | ES | SU | NO | BR | PL | BA | DU | |||
| Rosaceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Rosa multiflora — multiflora rose | NO | PL | ||||||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | BE | FR | HS | HD | WO | MI | ES | NO | BR | PL | BA | DU | NA | |||
| Rutaceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Phellodendron amurense — Amur corktree | SU | NO | ||||||||||||||
| [USDA] [Salicicola gallery] | ||||||||||||||||
| Phellodendron sachalinense — Sakhalin corktree | NO | |||||||||||||||
| [USDA] [Salicicola gallery] | HS | |||||||||||||||
| Note:There is a widespread opinion that Sakhalin corktree and Amur corktree are actually the same species and thus the two names are synonymous. However, those who live in the area where both trees occur find them different. It seems that both have naturalized in the Boston area. | ||||||||||||||||
| Salicaceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Salix atrocinerea (S. cinerea ssp. oleifolia) — rusty willow | WO | MI | ES | SU | NO | BR | PL | BA | ||||||||
| [USDA] [Salicicola gallery] [1] [2] [3] | ||||||||||||||||
| Note: This West European willow has gained a lot of territory around water bodies in the coastal states of eastern North America. In eastern Massachusetts it has become the most frequent willow displacing many native plants. Nearly all records of S. cinerea in Massachusetts, including those in Sorrie and Somers (1999), are to be attributed to S. atrocinerea (S. cinerea ssp. oleifolia). See more at Salicicola: [1] [2] [3]. | ||||||||||||||||
| Simaroubaceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Ailanthus altissima — tree-of-heaven | MI | SU | NO | |||||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | FR | HS | HD | WO | MI | ES | SU | NO | BR | PL | BA | DU | NA | |||
| Trapaceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Trapa natans — water chestnut; water caltrop | SU | |||||||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | BE | HS | WO | MI | SU | |||||||||||
| Vitaceae | ||||||||||||||||
| Ampelopsis brevipedunculata — amur peppervine | MI | SU | ||||||||||||||
| [USDA] [IPANE] [Salicicola gallery] | HS | MI | SU | BR | PL | BA | DU | NA | ||||||||
| [show/hide records without photo] | ||||||||||||||||
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